Team USA ice dancer can thank mom for her great costumes

Susan Hubbell has handmade all but two of her daughter Madison's costumes throughout her skating career.

Author:
Dave Chudowsky, WKYC

Published:
4:00 PM EST February 9, 2018

Updated:
4:00 PM EST February 9, 2018

Mom: Susan Hubbell

Athlete: Madison Hubbell

Sport: Figure Skating

When Madison Hubbell and her partner Zach Donohue compete for gold in pairs ice dancing in PyeongChang, there's no question Madison will be dressed for success. That's thanks to her loving and dedicated mother.

Susan Hubble has worked her entire life to keep her daughter's dream alive.

"I've worked a lot of days and a lot of hours though. A lot of 12 hour days, a lot of days in a row," Susan laughed while sewing inside her Northwest Ohio home.

It was an easy decision to make, once it was clear what young Madison Hubble wanted to do.

"The only thing Maddy was really engaged in was skating. She loved it," Susan recalled. And it was the start of something bigger in the Hubble household.

More than 20 years later, you'll still find the costumes worn by Madison, including the first one made by mom.

"I made her a little white dress and it had lace and rhinestones on it and she was super excited about that," Susan described.

Susan has made all but two of Madison's costumes throughout her entire skating career, including the one she wore during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

"I know it means a lot to her and we've had a lot of fun with it...This is my true love," Susan said.

It's also her job. She's a seamstress working out of her house. But finances were never easy. Along with everything she's had on her plate, for nine years she worked as a waitress in Toledo.

"You go through a lot of money training an Olympic athlete," she said.

With three kids, and now being a grandma for the past 15 months, Susan certainly deserves a medal. The work has paid off as she'll watch her daughter skate in PyeongChang, in a dress she made with her own hands.

The short program for the pairs ice dancing competition is Sunday, Feb. 18.